Better Days Bookshop will open later this year at 515 Main St. in Cairo, N.Y. WTEN reported that the shop began as a longtime dream for founders Maya Prohovnik and Erik Price, adding that Prohovnik "had worked at an independent bookstore during high school and still considers it to be the best job she has ever had." They hope to open the bookshop sometime between April and June.
"This has been a lifelong dream for her and something the two of us have been fantasizing about for more than a decade," Price said.
Price and Prohovnik, who is a member of the Comprehensive Plan Committee, consider Cairo to be a great spot to open a business. "It's really difficult to get to any of these spots without driving right through Cairo," Price noted. "So we think that's why it works even when so many people are skeptical of opening a business here."
Better Days Books will feature a broad but curated selection of new books, and plans call for eventually hosting author events and book clubs. There will also be newspapers, zines, and seasonal merch for sale.
"There isn't a lot for kids to do in Cairo, especially in the cold months, so it's really important to us to be able to provide that space for younger readers and their families," they said.
In addition, Better Days Books will serve a selection of canned and bottled beers, wine and cider, as well as a limited food menu. "We've always loved bookstores that aren't just bookstores," Price said. "It's also a great way for us to combine our passions! Books and beers are the two things that we are almost always talking about or sharing with our friends."